Environmental Analysis of Vodafone

The assignment provides an in-depth analysis of Vodafone's business operations and strategies. It covers the company's history, customer base, revenue growth, and future plans for merger with Idea in India. The report also discusses Vodafone's marketing mix, including product, price, promotion, and place, as well as its competitive landscape and market share. Additionally, it includes references to relevant academic articles and online sources.

MARKETING
PLAN
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
PART 1............................................................................................................................................3
Developing Marketing plan of Vodafone...............................................................................3
PART 2............................................................................................................................................9
Discussing marketing plan implementation and evaluation frameworks...............................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Marketing plan would be that part of company which is telling us about what strategies
need to be applied and adopted that will be enabling company to sale and earn revenue or profit.
This will be setting out overall business plan of company that is laying down foundation of firm
that what should be done and how could they all achieve targets that are set by management of
company. In this present report, we would be presenting and analysing marketing plan of
Vodafone Group plc which is the world’s second largest mobile phone company that is providing
telecommunication networks to almost every part of world. This is a British multinational
company headquartered in London and dominating markets of Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe.
PART 1
Developing Marketing plan of Vodafone
Company Introduction:
Vodafone Group plc is the second largest telecommunication and mobile operation
company of world which is having its base in Britain and providing variety of services. Company
is operating in all over the world but having its domination in Europe, Middle East, Oceania and
Asia as well. The name of company is derived from voice and data-fone which means
combination of data service and voice into the cellular phones.
Mission statement:
“To be the world leader in communication field by connecting whole world through
enriching lives of customers, helping individuals, business, communities and nations so that they
will more connected to each other with delivering all their needs of communication.”
Support with organisational objectives with marketing objectives
Vodafone provides several kinds of products and services in the global environment with
launching international campaign to promote it. In this aspect, mobile social networking services
increasing continuously. In this aspect, following objectives of the business considered in the
market:
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 To profit maximisation of the business.
 To implement the best possible activities to attain desired results.
 To make proper communication with stakeholders.
In respect to implement, the following objectives, mission statement accomplish in
desired consideration. Hence, Vodafone committed to contribute their maximum part and
accomplish it within the selected time-frame. The chosen business accomplish their objectives
through offering innovative and supportive services in different areas of the world. The company
not only offers telecommunication services but also mobile phone calls and text messaging. With
the help of integrated communication and multimedia services, the company able to deliver
effect
External environment analysis:
In this part, it is important to make PEST analysis which will be helping us to define the
external environment of Vodafone Group plc that is telling how different factors of environment
are playing significant role in developing company.
Political (P) - as the company is been operating within many countries of world and serving
number of customers including individuals, business and community as well. So political
environment of each country where company is operating would be having influence of policy or
law making process of those country as whole. So there are number of factors which are related
to political environment of a particular nation especially UK.
 Company could be facing very strict tax burden in UK which would be affecting
Vodafone as they could be paying higher amount in coming years.
 There is also very strict rules for the entry within the telecommunication sector in UK
which will be avoiding level of competition in this industry so Vodafone is having
advantage in this.
 Government of UK is having very less intervention in to the sector of telecommunication
which is not allowing them to interrupt due to growth and development reasons of nation.
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Economical (E)- this factor would be related to finance and monetary policy of any country like
those of currency fluctuations, inflation, exchange rates etc.
 In UK people are having very good earning and then spending capacity which is
considered to as favourable for Vodafone and its profits with ensuring sustainability in
market of UK.
 Currently when UK announced its exit from European Union this lead to problem of
economic crisis within country and thus Vodafone would also be facing the same.
Social (S)- this factor would be concerning with society and people of a community who are
living which then can influence the decision making of company.
 Population of UK is increasing day by day which is resulting into higher demand of
telecommunication within country so this could be profitable for Vodafone in increasing
their market share.
 Telecommunication is becoming the habit and need of community and society in whole
world so this is positive point for growth of company.
Technological (T)- This factor would be leading for increasing competitive advantage within
market of various nations of world with the improved use of techniques and technology in all
sectors or operations of business.
 Advancement in technology would be meaning higher demand and supply of products
and service of any company. Vodafone is comparatively highly advance company in its
sector which is leading and attracting all its customers thusly increasing market share of
firm in market of world. There is also one problem which is associated with this technological factors stating that
there are number of changes in telecommunication sector which is frequent as well. This
is hindering company to adopt all changes within their working or functioning.
Internal factor analysis:
Like the external factors that are enabling company to grow and develop in market, there
are some internal ones as well. Vodafone is having many strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
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and threats which are adding up or restricting them to grow or make profits. So we would be
doing SWOT analysis in finding out them.
Strengths (S) - Vodafone is having worldwide existence of its operations. So this is making and
helping company to grow its market base. This is the strongest point of company which would be
allowing them to gain market share. Reputation and brand value of Vodafone is also very good
which is helping them to increase their demand among customers.
Weakness (W) - its higher price level would be considered to as weak-point of company and not
able to gain higher market share or loyalty of customer as well. Vodafone is not having their
existence in market of USA this is also one of the weakness of company.
Opportunities (O) - currently in India company is planning to merge with one of the largest
network of country which is Idea cellular this could be increasing their market share within
India. As company is mainly focusing on technological advancement in telecommunication
networking which is also one of the major opportunities.
Threats (T)- company is facing immense competition within all countries of world which,
economic crisis of UK would be affecting profitability of Vodafone and their SMS facility is
diminishing with the introduction of other messaging apps like that of Whatsapp or Hike.
Marketing Mix plan:
Product (Service) Price Place Promotion
Handset:
There are many types
of cell phones which
company is providing
which are also cost
effective.
New models were also
released in financial
year 2010.
Price of company's
variety of product are
different in various
countries.
In some it is
reasonable whereas in
others it could be high.
In India due to tax
burden of government
rates of many plans of
Vodafone is selling
and distributing their
products and service
through various outlets
of company itself or
other retailers in form
of franchises.
It is also having door
step SIM delivery
service that is
Vodafone is providing
its many value added
service to its customer
with having high level
of promotional tools.
They keep on
improving their
promotional methods
which are to be
enabling them to gain
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Messaging service:
They are also having
message service
including sending
pictures, music or
sounds.
Voice service:
This service is
regarded to as highest
income to company.
About 67% of total
income in 2009-10
was with this only.
company were high. introduced by
company in India.
market share in many
countries.
Influence of Stakeholders:
Vodafone as is been operating in various countries of world with which they are having
number of stakeholders in all those countries where they are having presences. Stakeholders of
company include those people who are interested or associated with company whether external
one or internal one.
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Customers- they are key stakeholders of Vodafone who are giving company demand, sale,
revenue and profits on larger number (The objectives of Vodafone and how the stakeholders are
influenced, 2018). Organisation is also taking very good care of all its customers in return they
are giving them amount of profits.
Employees- training and development of staff and employees of company is amongst major
priorities of company as they think that this will be helping in giving the best service to their
customers.
Shareholders- individuals or group of individuals who are investing their money in return to
expecting profits from firm are known to as shareholder of firm and Vodafone is also having
many investors who are accelerating growth of firm.
Supply chain partners- they are responsible in timely and effectively supplying of products or
service of firm so they important for Vodafone.
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Illustration 1: Vodafone Group Marketing Plan
[Source: The objectives of Vodafone and how the stakeholders are
influenced, 2018]

PART 2
Discussing marketing plan implementation and evaluation frameworks.
Strategies supporting implementation of marketing plan of Vodafone:
Vodafone is leading telecommunication and cellular mobile company of UK which is
operating into all around the world with its diversify product and service portfolio and larger
base of customer as well. Its product and service portfolio include that of Vodafone mobile
connect data cards, roaming services, messaging service, voice and social service etc.,
(Marketing Strategy of Vodafone, 2018). Currently company is having revenue of about £47.631
billion as on financial year ending of 2017. So in analysing both external and internal
environment of Vodafone which was done it was expected that political and technological
factors would be playing most important role in growth and development of company.
Key models of assessing success of marketing plan:
Strategic planning model would be useful for companies so that they could be easily
understand competitors, stakeholders, internal and external environment of company. Thus
enabling them to make out whether their objectives and steps which they are taking to fulfil them
are both aligned to each other or not (de Uña and Rincón, 2018). They will also be helping
Vodafone to assess their overall strategy of company. Like in producing marketing plan of
Vodafone writer has used SWOT, PEST analysis and marketing mix model all of these would be
telling whether objectives are met or not. Among all these, PEST analysis which would be
including all external environment factor influencing business in positive and negative way is
also important one. This model would b enabling to carry out wider environmental scanning of
understanding how would all factors be affecting business and growth of Vodafone.
Evaluation of success of plan:
Mission of Vodafone is to become world leader in telecommunication and cellular phone
sector by increasing number of customers of company which are individuals, business and
communities by giving them all complete range of their communication needs. Competitors of
Vodafone include Orange, T- Mobile International and Telefonica02 Europe on worldwide level.
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They are having with about 470+ million customers all around the world and company is making
communication across world convenient and secure as well.
Future growth of Vodafone:
Number of customers of Vodafone are increasing on worldwide level from the year 2013
to 2017 but the expectation of company concerning profit and its growth in UK and India is been
decreasing. Due to competition of price with British Telecommunication in UK revenue of
company decreased to about 3.2% and then concentrated in growing their share of market in
third quarter of 2017. In coming year in India Vodafone is planning to grow their share of market
and customer base for which they planned to merger with Idea which is their biggest rival in
India. This will be increasing their demand and supply in country which is looked as good
strategy for country.
CONCLUSION
Towards the end of this section it is concluded that Vodafone is becoming world leader in
telecommunication network and cellular phone as currently it is ranked 2nd. Company must be
focusing more on their marketing strategies and trying to build up more strong team who would
be making company earn higher profits.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
de Uña, O.J.G., and Rincón, A.C., 2018. Open innovation challenge as a strategy for developing
new mobile health solutions. Medicina Clínica (English Edition).
Frimpon, M.F. and Adaku, E., 2018. A comparison of high speed internet service in Ghana: an
analytical hierarchy approach. Information Technology & People, (just-accepted), pp.00-00.
Gopi, Y. and Sumalatha, V., 2018. Tele Comm. Customer Data Analysis using Multi-Layer
Clustering Model.
Lages, L.F., Fonseca, V. and Paulino, M., 2018. The VCW-Value Creation Wheel: A Framework
for Market Selection and Global Growth. In Advances in Global Marketing (pp. 253-279).
Springer, Cham.
Uğurlu, S., 2018. Integrating Public Relations and Social Marketing. Reputation Management
Techniques in Public Relations, p.254.
Online:
Environmental Analysis-Vodafone. 2018. [Online]. Accessed Through:
<http://www.dissertationhomework.com/essays/business/environmental-analysis-
vodafone>.
Marketing Plan of Vodafone. 2018. [Online]. Accessed Through:
<http://marketingmixx.com/marketing-plan-2/196-marketing-plan-of-vodafone.html>.
Marketing Strategy of Vodafone. 2018. [Online]. Accessed Through:
<https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-strategy-vodafone/>.
The objectives of Vodafone and how the stakeholders are influenced. 2018. [Online]. Accessed
Through: <https://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/the-objectives-of-vodafone-and-
how-the-stakeholders-are-influenced-business-essay.php>.
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